Airplane-launching apparatus



L. l.L E MESURIER. AIRPLANE LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1920. 1,347, 105. Patented July 2o, 1920.

lLI J. LE MESURHH.A

AIRPLANE LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATIGN FILED NAYS, 1920.

Patented July 20, 192( 2 SHEElS-SHEEI 2.

,UNITED -sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS JOHN LE MESUER, 0F NEWCAsTLE-UPoN-TYNE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB. OF ONE-HALF To SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH @n COMPANY LIMITEn, OF

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND;

AIRPILANE-LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent. l Patented July 20,1920.

y Application filed May 5, 1929. Serial No. 379,120.

To all 'whom t may concer/n:

Beit known that I, LOUIS JOHN LE MESU- RIER, a sub'ect of the King of England, residing at ewcastle-u'pon-Tyne, Northumberland, En land, have invented certain new and use Improvements in Airplane- L'aunching'Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to. apparatus for launching an aeroplane or seaplane from .a ships deck or like restricted area where the flying speed must be obtained within a short yso distance. The object of this invention is to provide .a launching apparatus which has fewer parts of less weight than those previously proposed and-which is of simple operation and as compact as possible.

. According to this invention the apparatus comprises a track on which a carriage is adapted to travel, this carriage either bearing the entire weight of the aircraft to be launched in the case of a seaplane but Amerely exerting the necessary accelerating force in the-case of an aeroplane the wheels of which travel on the track; The accelerating force is transmitted to the carriage through a steel wire rope one end of which is secured to the fore part of the carriage and a similar rope also connected to the carriage effects retardation, the two ropes tO- gether with the carriage form-ing a complete .chain whose .extreme ends are anchoredto opposite ends of the track or some -iixed portion of the main structure and which pass over pulleys capable of being moved parallel to the track b the reciprocation under compressed air o a piston within a working cylinder. In addition to the working cylinder which imparts acceleration to the carriage a second retarding and returning cylinder is provided and a valve gear is arranged actuated by the pressures which obtain within these cylinders in such a way that the exhaust ports of the cylinder 'in which the greatest pressure exists are closed while those of the other cylinder are opened. In this. way during launching or accelerationthe exhaust ports of the retarding ,cylinder are open and during retardation or return of the carriage to its original position the exhaust ports of the working cylinder are open and those of the returning cylinder closed, The retardng cylinder is preferably provided with a hydraulic buffer with or wlthout the 4provision of a buffer spring.

One construction vOIEA apparatus according -to this invention is illustrated by way of exl seaplane B orexerts the necessary accelerating force for an aeroplane whose wheels travel upon thev track A. Secured to.a .forward end of the carriage B 'is-a steel wire rope C, a similar rope D being connectedi to the rear end of the carriage and these ropes together with the carriage B forming a complete chain, whose extreme ends are anchored to the opposite ends of the track orf'fixed structure after passing around a fixed vertical pulley C D" near .each end of .the track and two movable horizontal pulleys. This rope system runs from the end of the rope D anchored -to the rear portion A of the track around a movable horizontal pulley D2 back and over a l'ixed vertical pulley D above the anchored end to the rear end of the carriage B and from the fore end of the carriage (in the form of the rope C) over a fixed vertical pulley C near the launching end track around the second mov` able horizontal pulley C2 to the forward end A2 of the track where the'other end of the rope C is anchored.

Travel of the carriage is obtained by moving the horizontal pulleys C2 D2 in one direction or the other relatively and-parallel to the track. To this end a working cylinder E containing a piston F supplied withl compressed air through a suitable firing valve E is provided, the piston F being connected by a rope G to the forward horizontal pulley C2 the ratio being such that when the piston reciprocates within its cylinder, the horizontal pulley()2 is drawn toward the rear end A of the platform, thus exerting a pull on the launching rope C, In the same way the rear 'movable horizontal pulley D2 is connected to the piston H of a second returning or retarding cylinder by a l rope K and the travel of each piston is equal to half that ofthe carriage.

Communicating with eachcylinder isa valve chamber L provided with exhaust orts L L2 and containing an exhaust valve of the piston type. `Ilxhaust from the icylinder E after launching-has been ,effected takes place as 'soon as ports E2 formed in its length are uncovered by the working piston F. During the return movement' of the piston F however, exhaust takes 4place through I which is conveniently of the usual type and inder are open. -e

i to secureb y Letters the piston valve M which also controls theexhaust ports H of the return cylinder. 'Ihe piston valve M is actuated by pressure in such a way that when the working cylinder E is launching, then the exhaust ports II of the returning cylinder are open and vice versa when the return cylinder J is operating to restore the parts to their initial position, ,then-,the ports of the working cyllAs soon as the aeroplane has been launched from thecarriage the latter is brought 'to rest by the piston I-I of the return cylinder J engaging the hydraulic buffer piston N may in vadditionhave'a buffer spring Oif desired. Shock is preventedby so arranging the exhaust ports as to trap or' cushion the column of air between .the return piston H and the piston N of the hydraulic buffer. Compressed air to actuatethe return piston in order to restore the parts* to their initial position is supplied through a pipe I and controlled stop valve P.

It is to be understood that although the term ',air plane is used in the following claims'this covers both seaplanes and aero-` planes,.and that the details of construction can be considerably modified without departing from this invention.

What I,.claim as m invention and' desire atent is :--4

1. In apparatus f for launching an air plane from a restricted area, the combinai .tion of a track, a carriageadapted to travel thereon, anaccelerating rope connected to the carriage, a retarding rope also'connected thereto, said ropes constituting with the carriage a single chain having ,its ends anchored,.pulleys near each end of the track over which said chain passes `and means for movlng the pulleys in either direction parallel to the length of the track to impart acceleration or retardation to the carriage.

2. In apparatus' for launching an air -plane from a'restricted area, the combinalso tion of a track, a' carriage adapted to, travel thereon, an accelerating 'rope connected to the carriage, a retardlng rope also connected thereto, said ,ropes constituting with the car# riage a single chain having its ends anchored,a cylinder, a piston adapted to imparteacceleration'to the carriage mount'ed to reciprocate therein, a 'pulleyconnected to said piston over which passes the accelerating rope, a second cylinder, a retarding piston mounted to reciprocate therein and ay second pulley connected-to the retarding piston over whichy passes the retarding rope.

In apparatus =or launching an .air

plane from a. restrictedlarea, the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel` thereon, an accelerating rope connected to the carriage, a retarding rope also connected thereto, said ropes fconstitutlng with the carriage a singleV chain vhaving its ends an chored, a cylinder, a piston adapted to impart acceleration to the carriage mounted to reciprocate therein, a vpulle)T connected to .said piston over which passes the accelerating rope, a second cylinder, a'retarding pistonmounted to reciprocate therein, a second pulley connected to Asaid piston over'which i -100 der having exhaust ports, a retarding piston passes the accelerating rope, alsecond cylinmounted to reciprocate therein, a second pulley connected to the retarding piston overwhich passes the retarding ro e-and valve mechanism controlling the owV of fluid pressure to 'andfrom the cylinders so that 'the exhaust' ports of the retarding cylinder are automatically opened during acceleration and similarly closed during retardation 4 when the exhaust cylinder are opene 5. In apparatus xfor launching 'an air plane from a restricted area,\ the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, anjaccelerating rope connected to the carriage, a retarding rope also connected thereto, said ropes constituting with the car- (ports ofthe 'accelerating riage a single chain having its ends anchored, a cylinder having exhaust ports, a pistonoadapted to impart acceleration to the carriage mounted to reciprocate therein, a

pulley connected to said piston over which passes `the accelerating rope, a second cylin l der having exhaust ports, a retarding piston mounted to reciprocate therein, a second pul le, connected to the retarding piston over w ich passes the retarding rope and. valve gear comprisinga cylinder, a piston actuated by the pressure within the accelerating and retardlngcylinders adapted to close the- `inder, a retarding and returning whereby the .exhaust ports of exhaust ports of that cylinder in which the greatest pressure exists and simultaneously to open the exhaust ports of the other cylinder where the pressure is lowest.

6. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area, the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, an accelerating rope connected to the carriage, a retarding rope connected thereto, said ropes constitutin with the carriage .a single chain having its ends anchored to the opposite ends of the track, a working cylinder, an -accelerating piston adapted to reciprocate therein, a pulley connected to said piston over which pulle passes the accelerating rope, a second cy piston mounted to reciprocate therein, a pulley connected to said piston over which passes the retarding rope, means for reciprocat v ing the pistons within their cylinders so as to move the pulleys parallel to the length ofethe track for the purpose described and a buffer adapted to cushion the movements of the pistons at the ends of their stroke.

7. In apparatus for launching an air pla-ne from a restricted area, the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a cylinder, a piston therein adapted to impart acceleration to the carriage, a flexible connection between said piston and the carriage', 'a second c linder, a retardin therein, and a exible connection etween said retarding piston and the carriage. i

8. In apparatus for launching an air plane from arestricted area, the combination of 'a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a cylinder having exhaust ports, a piston therein adapted to impart acceleration to the carriage, a flexible connection between said piston and the carriage, cylinder having exhaust ports, a retarding piston therein, a flexible connection between said retarding piston and the carria e and valve mechanism between the two oy indeis Aplane from a restricted area,

piston niove the pulleys parallel to the length of and Y.

a second the retarding cylinder are automatically opened during acceleration and similarly closed during retardation and return when the exhaust ports of the accelerating cylinder open.

9. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area, the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a cylinder having exhaust ports, a piston therein adapted to impart acceleration to the carriage, a iiexible connection between said piston and the"carriage, a second cyl-, inder having exhaust, ports, a retarding piston therein, a flexible connection between said retarding piston and the carriage and a valve gear comprising a cylinder, a piston actuated by the pressure within the accelerating and retarding cylinders in such a manner as to close the exhaust ports of that cylinder in which the greatest pressure exists and open those o the other cylinder where the pressure is lowest.

10. In apparatus for launching an air the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, an accelerating rope connected to the carriage, a retarding rope connected thereto, saidl ropes constitutin with the carriage a single chain having its ends anchored to vthe opposite' ends of the track, a workin cylinder, an accelerating piston adapte to reciprocate therein, a pulley con# nected to said piston over which ulle passes the ,acceleratingv rope, a secon cy inder, a retarding and returning 'piston mounted to reciprocate therein, a pulley connected to said piston over which passes the retarding rope, means for reciprocating the pistons within their cylinders so as to the track for the purpose describe means for cushioning the movements of the pistons at the ends of their stroke:

In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto thsspecitication. y

LOUIS JOHN LE MESURIER. 

